2018 Hyundai Ioniq EV To Have A 200-Mile Driving Range

Hyundai has just launched their first ever electric vehicle to the market.

The current version of the Ioniq EV boasts a 128-mile driving range, however, the carmaker has already announced a plan on raising the bar at the lower end of the electric car segment.

Their goal is to have a 200-mile Ioniq EV in place by 2018, and then to follow that with a 250-mile electric sedan by 2020.

Other automakers, such as Tesla and Audi, have already eclipsed that mark, but the majority have settled on 200 miles as the expected norm.

The Nissan Leaf with its 107-mile range has long been at the top of the pile, however, the new Chevy Bolt EV has been announced to top it with its 238 mile driving range.

Update: 2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV

Hyundai Ioniq EV picture

That will be followed by the Tesla 3, as well as EV models from Nissan and Ford.

It’s worth remembering that we have already seen EV models from those automakers, so for Hyundai to start at the 200-mile mark is quite the achievement.

Hyundai does have one model, the 2016 Sonata PHEV, that runs on battery power alone.

The combined 59 mpg that this plug-in model delivers is beaten only by the Chevrolet Volt and the BMW i3 REX.

Sister company Kia has already delivered an electric vehicle in the Soul EV, and while it has not taken off in the US as of yet, the fact that it delivers 120 mpg and 93 miles in EV range tells you that it can compete with the best.

Hyundai will really be put to the test when they start delivering the Ioniq series around the world this spring. They fired a shot across the Toyota bow by claiming that Ioniq would be more efficient than the Prius.

The Elite model of the Prius set the tone in the plug-in hybrid world by delivering economy numbers that hit the equivalent of 120 mpg. It would be safe to assume that this is the number Hyundai is going after with their trio of Ioniq models.

Hyundai have already made it known that they need the Ioniq to do well in the US in order for the company to have a bright future in the electric market.

It’s going to be a tough market to crack, as the Prius has become the go to model in the hybrid and plug-in market, while the Nissan Leaf is the EV leader.

If the Koreans have any hope of winning the battle, they need to deliver a vehicle that is fun to drive, as that is something that is lacking with the Prius.

They will also need to deliver a vehicle that is stylistically better looking, and it has to be said that the Ioniq does not immediately look like an electric model at first glance. It would also help if Hyundai could enter the market with a lower, more attractive price point than its competitors.

There really is no clear blueprint for Hyundai to follow when entering into the plug-in market, as other automakers have failed to impress consumers for a variety of different reasons.

The goal to reach 250 miles in range may well end up being nothing more than a pipe dream if the Ioniq does not make a big enough impact upon release.